“You don’t have to play masculine in order to be called a strong woman.”
This powerful declaration set the tone at Malaya Business Insight’s “A Ladies Night” celebration for Women’s Month, where two trailblazing executives challenged conventional notions of leadership. Moderated by Inka Magnaye, the panel featured Mary Joy Lopez, GM of Jill L. Tolentino Customs Brokerage, and Apples Mangubat, CEO of Asialink Group of Companies—women who have transformed traditionally male-dominated spaces through distinctly feminine approaches to power.
Authentic leadership, no compromise
This sentiment of authenticity resonated throughout the conversation. Lopez, whose company boasts a workforce that is 70% female in the male-dominated logistics industry, spoke about making it her mission “to employ young and female professionals” when founding her brokerage nine years ago.
“We can be leaders of this industry,” Lopez asserted, comparing customs brokers to doctors and lawyers in professional stature. Her approach challenges the stereotype that logistics is limited to truck drivers and customs runners, pushing instead for a professionalized field where women can thrive.
The empathy advantage
Both leaders credited empathy as a cornerstone of effective leadership. Mangubat noted that women “tend to listen more to our people rather than just talk about business,” often taking genuine interest in employees’ personal lives and families.
“Women tend to ask ‘Kamusta ang pamilya mo? Kamusta sa bahay?’ But do we hear it from our boy-guy bosses?” Mangubat observed, highlighting how women’s relational approach creates deeper connections with team members.
Lopez shared how her own mentor, who consistently checked in on her personal wellbeing, shaped her leadership philosophy. As a young professional who had relocated to Manila at 19, these simple check-ins meant finding “a friend and a mother” in her workplace mentor. This experience taught her that leadership transcends professional guidance—it’s about creating belonging.
Multitasking and communication
The panelists acknowledged multitasking as a valuable skill they’ve leveraged in their careers. “We do several things all together. We multitask actually—very well,” Mangubat affirmed, while Lopez described managing operations, marketing, sales, and finance simultaneously in her role.
This versatility proves particularly valuable when handling difficult situations. Lopez recounted how her team’s communication skills help defuse tense client interactions: “Sometimes when things go south… ‘Okay GM, can you please call this client?’ ‘Okay, I will.’” She explained that women often have a “charm” that helps navigate challenging conversations with a deft touch that gets results without confrontation.
Their natural communication abilities and intuition help them create what Lopez calls “a safe space for everyone where they can be seen, they can be heard, and they would feel valued.” This approach resonates particularly well with younger generations entering the workforce.
The discussion revealed how women leaders are reshaping workplace dynamics by embracing qualities traditionally labeled as “feminine” and transforming them into powerful leadership assets. As Mangubat pointed out, in her organization of 48 companies, about 15 have women presidents and CEOs, with many more women in second-level leadership positions—not because of gender quotas, but because of demonstrated capability.
When asked what stereotypes about women might actually hold truth, Mangubat acknowledged the monthly hormonal challenges women face while noting that women’s charm—what Filipinos call “lambing”—can be strategically effective: “Use your charms, ladies. It’s very effective,” she advised with a knowing smile.
As Women’s Month celebrations continue worldwide, Lopez and Mangubat stand as living proof that the future of leadership is hardly about women becoming more like men—it’s really about organizations finally recognizing the extraordinary strength that has been there all along. Their message resonates beyond gender politics into universal truth: in business as in life, authenticity isn’t just a virtue—it’s a competitive advantage.
